1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to oral hygiene appliances and more particularly to an appliance for simultaneously cleaning and/or burnishing multiple tooth surfaces.
2. Antecedents of the Invention
Personal oral hygiene has been a challenge throughout the ages and into the new millennium. Various toothbrush structures have been suggested for simplifying tooth brushing procedures by simultaneously cleaning multiple tooth surfaces. Typical examples are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 273,153 and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 315,450 both issued to Applicant herein.
Employment of Applicant's prior toothbrushes provided multiple cleansing surfaces for simultaneous contact with labial, lingual and occlusal tooth surfaces. As a result, the brushing procedure was greatly simplified and reduced to longitudinal reciprocal motion. As such, it was particularly well-suited for use by children and young adults.
Unfortunately, the head configuration of prior multiple surface toothbrushes mandated a relatively large lateral extension at the toothbrush head. The lateral dimensions of the toothbrush head constituted a drawback, especially in conjunction with young children.
The beneficial advantages of utilizing a thermoplastic elastomer material for oral hygiene surfaces in contact with teeth have been set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,264 to MICHAELS, which illustrated a toothbrush head having a plurality of projections of different geometric configuration. While the MICHAELS device may have been effective in cleansing and/or burnishing tooth surfaces, the overall geometric size and toothbrush head configuration appeared to be generally the same as a conventional toothbrush.
A need exists, therefore, especially in connection with promoting oral hygiene in young children, to simplify tooth brushing procedures while effectively cleansing and polishing tooth surfaces.